Head of the European Commission Delegation to BiH, H.E. Ambassador Dimitris Kourkoulas met with representatives of NGOs in BiH together with the EU Special Representative, H.E. Ambassador Miroslav Lajčák at the premises of European Commission Delegation to BiH today. The role of the NGO sector in the process of EU integration was in the focus of the meeting also attended by representatives of BiH authorities. The participants explored the possibility of joining efforts in key areas of interest to civil society and the European Union and in advocating EU integration.
“We will try to intensify our dialogue with civil society, mainly in two areas: programming of our financial assistance for this country and also for preparation of our annual report, where civil society is valuable source of information for this task. We encourage the local authorities to take the lead in this consultation process.”, said Ambassador Kourkoulas. He briefly mentioned on-going programs and available instruments through which EU financed civil society projects. In addition, he explained that European Commission was financing comprehensive study Strategy for Civil Society in BiH that would be available in April 2009.
Ambassador Lajčák stressed the importance of timing of the meeting, in light of recently published Progress Report and document prepared by Mr. Javier Solana, High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy/Secretary-General of the EU Council and Mr. Olli Rehn EU Commissioner for Enlargement. In this regard he sent a clear message to the NGO representatives: “Our aim is to support regular and coordinated dialogue about European integration among yourselves through already established network on one hand, and your dialogue with EU institutions and BiH authorities on the other hand. Bosnia and Herzegovina could progress more effectively on its path to the EU if the pressure from the base increased. Without your voice, no state institutions would feel obliged to fulfil their tasks.”
Mr. Nedeljko Masleša, Assistant Director, Directorate for European Integration of BiH, reiterated their readiness to cooperate with civil society. In that sense, he mentioned recently implemented EU funded projects, such as "Together with Europe" and similar, where DEI put its efforts together with civil society partners to share the knowledge and information about the European integration process among BH citizens.
Civil Society Board’s Representative, Ms. Aida Daguda stressed the importance of creating more proactive relations between BiH authorities and civil society through implementing the Agreement which was adopted in May 2007 by the Council of Ministers of BiH and 400 NGOs.
As it was said during the meeting, today’s session represents only the beginning of a more dynamic and proactive dialogue that aimed to make the role of civil society in the European integration process more visible and more important, for the benefit of BiH’s progress its European path.
